Conduit stabilizer for aquariums



june 20, m67 A. GREENBAUM CONDUIT STBILIZER FOR AQUARIUMS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Dec. 27, 1965 AIR SUPPLY TANK `Fume ZGQS? A. GREENBAUM CONDUIT STABILIZER FOR AQUARIUMS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Deo. 27, 1965 United States Patent Office 3,326,184 Patented June 20, 1967 3,326,184 CONDUIT STABILIZER FOR AQUARIUMS Alfred Greenbaum, 159 E. 52nd St., Brooklyn, N.Y. 11203 Filed Dec. 27, 1965, Ser. No. 516,270 Claims. (Cl. 119-5) This invention relates to aquariums of the type commonly found in homes and more particularly to a stabilizing means for conduits connected to air release accessories such as ornaments, filters and the like, employed in such aquariums for decorative or other purposes.

It is customary, in the art, to utilize a conduit taking the form of a semi-stiff tubing usually extruded from vinyl plastic to convey fluid from a supply source to such an accessory.

In the normal design of aquariums the conduit interconnects a supply of air located outside the tank to the accessory. The conduit or tubing runs over the top of the tank, down the inside portion thereof where a 90 turn is fashioned in the tubing so that it will lie on the bottom of the tank. This tubing is hidden in formations, such as the usual colorful gravel or stones found in the bottom of such aquariums or tanks.

The end of the tubing lying in the aquarium is con nected to the accessory to which fluid, such -as air, is to be liowed to. I have found that in the design of aquariums wherein air release accessories are utilized and connection is accomplished as set out above there results desruption of the accessory from its desired position. This occurs due to the nature of the material used in making the tubing and is also caused because of the instability of the tubing due to its small size in relation to that of the tank with which it is used.

More particularly, vinyl plastic has been found to be one of the most suitable materials for fashioning such tubing. It has long life, is easy to work with, is low in cost, and is non-toxic to the fish. However, it has a semistiffness which functions as a memory tending to cause the tubing to retain its normal shape or direction provided it is not extending beyond its elastic limit. This can be contrasted with rubber (not a suitable material because it wears quickly) which is more pliable. Furthermore, due to the small surface area of such tubing it cannot stop the lifting up of same through the small colorful gravel in which it is disposed.

I have found that such disruption can be overcome by utilizing the stabilizing means of my invention as is described in detail hereinafter.

More particularly, I contemplate a stabilizing device or means which is mounted on the conduit serving to supply fluid to the accessory and this is accomplished by placing formations, such as decorative stones or gravel, on the stabilizing device after it is mounted on the conduit,

I have found that among other reasons, the stabilizer described in detail hereinafter precludes disruption of an accessory because it provides surface area to the conduit to preclude the lifting out of position which occurred in the prior art.

It is therefore Ian object of my invention to provide stability to accessories in aquariums through the use of a conduit or tube stabilizing means.

It is another object of this invention to provide a tube stabilizing means for use with a conduit supplying uid or the like to accessories for aquariums.

Other objects and advantages of the invention including the basic design and the nature of the improvements thereon will appear from the following description taken in conjunction with the following drawings in which,

FIGURE 1 is a view of an aquarium showing the type accessories and formations customarily used therein.

FIGURE 2 is a schematic view showing a supply tank, conduit, stabilizing means and accessory in assembled position.

FIGURE 3 shows one form of stabilizing means.

FIGURE 4 shows another form of stabilizing means.

FIGURE 5 shows still another form of stabilizing means.

FIGURE 6 shows a further form of stabilizing means.

The drawings are to be understood to be more orless of a diagrammatic `character for the purpose of illustrating and disclosing a typical or preferred form of the improvements contemplated herein and in the drawings like reference -characters identify the same parts in the several views.

FIGURE 1 shows an aquarium or tank 10 of the type employed in homes for keeping tropical fish or the like.

The usual accessories; a ship wreck 11, diver 12, anchor 14, are also shown and are representative of the type of ornamental accessories employe-d in such aquariums.

'Formations 15 such as colorful stone or gravel are also shown as being disposed in aquarium 10.

While ornamental accessories are shown, it is clear nonornamental accessories may also be employed in such aquariums for functional and other purposes.

It is customary in aquarium design to run a supply of fluid such as air, from a supply tank 17 through a conduit or tubing 18 to some of the accessories in the aquarlum.

To illustrate this aspect, FIGURE 2 shows a supply of fluid being provided to a nipple 16 in the hull 19 of shipwreck 11.

In this fashion, there is created a scene representing a recent sinking as a result of the bubbling effect 21 around shipwreck 11 caused by the flow of fluid thereto from supply tank 17.

It has been found in the art, that a fiexible but semistiff plastic made from vinyl plastic provides an economical and purpose serving material for forming conduit 18' However, as a result of the semi-stiness of this material and due to the manner of disposition of conduit 18 into the tank or aquarium 10; the conduit 18 tends to disrupt an accessory, to which it is connected, from its desired position.

This disrupting motion is also amplied because of the lack of area of tubing 18 and accordingly it tends to lift out of the formations.

To overcome this deficiency, I propose mounting a tubing stabilizer 30 on the conduit 18 and by placing a formation such as colorful stones 15 on the stabilizer I have found that the stability of the fluid receiving accessory is markedly improved. As a matter of fact, my tubing stabilizer precludes -the disruption out of desired position that occurred in prior type units.

FIGURE 3 shows one type of tubing stabilizer including a cylindrical member 33 formed on the thin plastic plate 32.

The cylindrical member 33 serves as a tubing receiving element and functions as mentioned above.

The form of stabilizer shown in FIGURES 4, 5, and 6 differs in some degree from the form shown in FIGURE 3 but the principles of construction and the general principles of operation are similar.

The form shown in FIGURE 4 includes a 4channel 34 for receiving the tubing 1-8.

The form shown in FIGURE 5 includes holes 35 and 35 which serve as tube receiving means.

The modification shown in FIGURE 6 includes raised members 36 and 36 which provide walls for receiving the tubing 18.

In all cases I have found that best results are obtained if the tubing receiving elements are located centrally on the flat plate 32. In this fashion you achieve optimum stability.

Although this invention has been described with reference to specific apparatus it will be appreciated that a wide variety of changes may be made within the ability of one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of this invention. For example, some of the components of the apparatus may be reversed, certain features of the invention may be used 4independently of others, and equivalents may be substituted for the apparatus, all within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Stabilizing means for use with a conduit means which is connected to an accessory for an aquarium and said aquarium including a formation therein, said conduit means being disposed in said aquarium and connected to said accessory at one end and to a iluid supply at its other end, said stabilizing means mounted on a portion of said conduit lying within said aquarium and cornprising a plate member having a conduit means carried thereby, and said formation disposed on and around said stabilizing means to preclude movement of said conduit means which would disrupt the accessory from its desired position in the aquarium.

2. The stabilizing means claimed in claim 1 wherein said conduit means comprises a tubing and said stabilizing means includes an upstanding means formed thereon which provide for interconnecting said stabilizing means to said tubing.

3. The stabilizing means claimed in claim 2 wherein said tubing is made of plastic.

4. The stabilizing means claimed in claim 1 comprising 35 a semi-rigid plastic plate including means formed thereon which provide for interconnecting said stabilizing means to said tubing.

5. The stabilizing means claimed in claim 4 wherein the means formed thereon which provide for interconnecting said stabilizing means to said tubing comprises two holes in said plastic plate.

6. The stabilizing means claimed in claim 4 wherein the means formed thereon which provide for interconnecting said stabilizing means to said tubing comprises a cylindrical tubing receiving element which is fixed to said plastic plate.

7. The stabilizing means claimed in claim 4 wherein the means formed thereon which provide for interconnecting said stabilizing means to said tubing comprises a channel for receiving said tubing formed in said plastic plate.

8. The stabilizing means claimed in claim 2 wherein said formation comprises a plurality of colorful gravel.

9. The stabilizing means claimed in claim 8 wherein said tubing is made of semi-stili plastic.

10. The stabilizing means claimed in claim 1 comprising a semi-rigid plastic plate including two spaced holes in said plastic plate for receiving and holding said tubing.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 889,707 6/1908 Mett 54-34 1,055,804 3/1913 Schafer 54-34 2,087,176 7/1937 Webb 119-121 2,844,912 7/1958 Sebesta 119-5 2,935,042 5/1960 Sprague 1l9-l4.45 3,105,463 10/l963 Pilch 119-52 3,149,608 9/1964 Murphy 119-5 ALDRICH F. MEDBERY, Primary Examiner. 

1. STABILIZING MEANS FOR USE WITH A CONDUIT MEANS WHICH IS CONNECTED TO AN ACCESSORY FOR AN AQUARIUM AND SAID AQUARIUM INCLUDING A FORMATION THEREIN, SAID CONDUIT MEANS BEING DISPOSED IN SAID AQUARIUM AND CONNECTED TO SAID ACCESSORY AT ONE END AND TO A FLUID SUPPLY AT ITS OTHER END, SAID STABILIZING MEANS MOUNTED ON A PORTION OF SAID CONDUIT LYING WITHIN SAID AQUARIUM AND COMPRISING A PLATE MEMBER HAVING A CONDUIT MEANS CARRIED THEREBY, AND SAID FORMATION DISPOSED ON AND AROUND SAID STABILIZING MEANS TO PRECLUDE MOVEMENT OF SAID CONDUIT MEANS WHICH WOULD DISRUPT THE ACCESSORY FROM ITS DESIRED POSITION IN THE AQUARIUM. 